Beautiful Noise

Some documentaries create a story, much like a work of fiction, building a narrative that draws you in emotionally, even if it takes some jiggling of facts to make that story work. Most modern docs are like this, blurring the line between fact and fiction, and making it clear that the ultimate goal isn't to …

Little Richard: King and Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll

Most likely, you're kind of like me when it comes to Little Richard: you grew up with his name floating around in the background of your music history knowledge: one of the rock n' roll pioneers, sang a few of those oldies you hear in movies sometimes, and you can probably guess that he got …

In the Court of the Crimson King

Being the control freak that he is, Robert Fripp would get very, very, very upset if he knew that this new documentary on his band was viewable for free, for it goes against many of his publicly stated beliefs. And if you do have the money, by all means, give him $27 and purchase a …

Gimme Danger

There's a pretty sharp irony in the fact that Iggy Pop and the Stooges- the ones who invented punk rock, who have never sold out, who want no part of the fame and money offered from the corporate nipple, who never played ball with any person in a suit, and who stand against everything that …

Let It Be

Does the world really need to spend any more time thinking about or examining the Beatles? Nobody- no matter how good or influential they may have been- really deserves so much scrutiny or attention. There are other bands out there; the myth-making has long run its course, and the cash-extraction that continues every 5-10 years …

Pink Floyd: The Wall

It's true- the world's greatest (and most famous) rock musical does not exist in our ethereal world of movie streaming, which is a ridiculous shame and perfect example of how our current brand of capitalism fails the public on so many levels. Politics aside, Alan Parker's film adaptation of Pink Floyd's seminal album has lost …

Panische Zeiten

Here's an exclusive by request from a German Movie Club fan- the crazy, zany 80's rock n' roll comedy adventure, Panische Zeiten! English speakers beware- this film has no subtitles, but don't let that deter you from enjoying this silly, but oddly satisfying flick. German rock star  Udo Lindenberg wrote, directed and starred in this …

The Amazing Mr. Bickford

Frank Zappa's music is not everyone's cup of tea, but for those who can appreciate his compositions, the payoff is worth it- he always managed to combine his unique personality with a formalist desire to push musical boundaries and a rock musician's feel for a guttural, energetic delivery. Animator Bruce Bickford is his counterpart in …

Velvet Goldmine

Todd Haynes was one of the most exciting filmmakers to emerge in the 90's with indie masterpieces like Safe, Poison, and the infamous, banned Superstar- but as he got older, his obsession with formalist cinema, and mimicking other filmmakers' styles, seemed to take precedence over having something to say, with varying degrees of success (Far …

Hoshikuzu Kyôdai No Densetsu (The Legend of the Stardust Brothers)

So, Osamu Tezuka is basically the godfather of modern manga, and arguably the greatest manga artists in history. I mean, his comics- from Astroboy to Buddha- are brilliant and influential. His storytelling techniques have been copied a million times over by pretty much everyone else, and he could pretty much do anything he wanted and …